Spatiotemporal Distribution of Continuous Precipitation and Its Effect on Vegetation Cover in China over the Past 30 Years

Precipitation is a fundamental element in terrestrial water circulation and ecosystem hydrological balance. The occurrence of concentrated precipitation is closely linked to vegetation growth and soil fertility rather than accumulated or averaged precipitation. Despite its importance, the characteristics of continuous precipitation and its specific effects on vegetation cover remain uncertain. In this study, we formulated a new continuous precipitation index system, including CPd (continuous precipitation days); ACPt (annual continuous precipitation times); CPa (continuous precipitation amount); and FCP (frequency in different ranges of ACPa). We utilized daily precipitation data from 467 meteorological stations across China, which were divided into eight vegetation type regions. We observed that the spatial distribution of continuous precipitation differed to varying degrees from accumulated precipitation. The national average of MACPa for a single event was 16.7 mm, ranging from 3.8 mm in the temperate desert region to 37.1 mm in the tropical monsoon forest and rainforest region. Similarly, the national average of MCPd (MMCPd) for a single event was approximately 2.3 or 9 days. At the regional level, the tropical monsoon forest and rainforest region experienced the longest MMCPd. Furthermore, the national average of MACPt occurrences for 1 year was 57.7 times, varying from 29.8 times in the temperate desert region to 77.9 times in the tropical monsoon forest and rainforest region. Vegetation responses to precipitation regimes exhibit significant regional heterogeneity across China. Our analysis reveals that MACPt and MPa show markedly positive correlations with vegetation growth. In subtropical monsoon climate zones, particularly the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and Qinling Mountains, MACPt demonstrates strong positive correlations (r = 0.6-1.0) with NDVI, where sustained rainfall provides stable moisture availability for vegetation. While a positive correlation between vegetation (NDVI) and mean annual consecutive precipitation is observed in some arid northern regions, in ecosystems such as the Loess Plateau (TG/TM), vegetation growth shows greater dependence on MPa, highlighting the crucial role of total precipitation amount in water-limited ecosystems. Notably, extreme precipitation events display dual effects on vegetation dynamics. Prolonged heavy rainfall (MMCPd/MMCPa) exhibits significant negative impacts on NDVI (r = -1.0 to -0.6) in topographically complex regions, including the Hengduan Mountains and Yangtze River Basin (SE), likely due to induced soil erosion and waterlogging stress. Our findings underscore the importance of incorporating continuous precipitation indices to evaluate and forecast the influence of precipitation on ecosystem stability. This understanding is vital for developing informed conservation and management strategies to address current and future climate challenges.